Water-feed regulator.



No. 636,470. Patented Nov. 7, I899.

'r. L. & T. J. STURTEVANT.

WATER FEED REGULATOR.

(Application filed Aug. 25, 1899.) 4N0 Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1,-

. i, Iii! r lm wi/mmwz m: Noam: pz-rzns co mom-uma, WASHINGTON, 0. c4

Patented Ngv. 7, I899.

T. L. 8|. T. J. STURTEVANT.

WATER'FEED REGULATOR.

(Application filed Aug. 25, 1899.)

3 Shaets8heet 2,

(No Model.)

No. 636,470. Patented Nov. 7, I899.

T. L. & T. .1. STURTEVANT.

WATER FEED REGULATOR.

(Application filed. Aug. 25, 1599.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3,

"ma nonms mans 00.. Puorau'mnu WASHINGTON. n. c.

U ITED STATES PATENT Orrrcs.

THOMAS L. STURTEVANT, OF QUINCY, AND THOMAS J. STURTEVANT, 'OF NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

WATER-FEED REGULATOR.

. SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 636,470, dated November 7, 1899.

Application filed August 1899. Serial No. 728,452. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, THOMAS L. STURTE- VANT, residing at Quincy, in the county of Norfolk, and THOMAS J. STURTEVANT, residing at Newton, in the county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, citizens of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Water-Feed Regulators, of whichthe following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

Our invention relates to water feeders for tanks, steam-boilers, &c., and has for its object to provide a feeding apparatus which will so control the volume of water within the tank or boiler as to maintain it at a predetermined level. The feeder is applicable to coil-boilers as well as to ordinary stand-boilers, so that the volume of water in the generating-coil may be controlled absolutely, and nothing but dry steam can pass to the cylinder. Furthermore, the feed of the apparatus may be readily regulated, so that the volume of water Within the boiler or tank may be varied within certain limits.

Briefly stated, the action of the feeder, when applied to a tank, stand-boiler, or coil-boiler, is to withdraw the water from the boiler when it has risen above a certain level and, after pumping it through the feeder-cylinder, to return it again to the boiler, and during such action on the part of the feeder the flow through the main pipe or the main supplypump itself will be automatically stopped. This circulating action of the surplus water continues until the generation of steam or other drain on the supply has so diminished the volume as to reduce it to the normal level,

- when circulation'of water through the feedercylinder will cease and at the same time the flow of water through the main supply-pipe will be resumed.

Our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which trates a slightly-modified form of the invention shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a sectional view illustrating another modification of our and has its other end secured to alug or pro-- jection a on the pump-casing. Said valve has a second arm a on the valve-stem, the

purpose of which will be presently explained.-

The feeder proper, which we shall now describe, consists of a cylinder B, having a suction or inlet pipe I), which communicates'with the tank or boiler at the water-level. Said cylinder B has two check-valves b b which -control the ingress and egress of the water drawn through pipe I). The cylinder B is connected with a circulating pump C, the piston c of which is driven front the engine or in any suitable manner. The cylinder B is connected, through apassage 11 with an outlet-pipe It, said passage b beingcontrolled by a regulating needle-valve 72 so that it may be restricted or opened at will, the outlet I) communicating with the boiler. Above said cylinder B is a back -pressure chamber D, which is connected by passages 01 with said cylinder B, and within said chamber D is a freely-moving or loose piston 01. Said piston d is preferably cup-shaped, as shown, and has a head or projection d at its top, which. bears against an arm d mounted on a rock-shaft d turning in the casing of the chamber D, and having one end projecting through the side of the casing, Fig. 1. A second arm (1 is carried by the projecting end of said rock-shaft d and this arm 01 is connected by means of a link 61 to the said arm a on the stem of inlet-valve a, so that any movement of piston cl will be communicated to said valve. It will be seen that piston (I will be held in its lowest position by the spring a acting through link (Z and shaft (P, so that it will not be raised by ordinary pressure due to the action of the circulatingpump in forcing air or steam through the restricted passage If, but will only lift when excessive pressure, due to water being forced into chamber D, occurs.

The operation of the feeder above described is as follows: Assuming that the water in the tank or boiler is below or at normal level and the supply-pump is operating, the circulating-pump 0 will draw air or steam from the tank or boiler through the suction-pipe 1) into cylinder B and discharge it through the outlet-pipe Z1 into the boiler, the air or steam passing so readily through the restricted passage b as not to disturb the piston (Z in chamber D. If, however, the water in the tank or boiler rises above the normal level, the surplus will be immediately drawn into the feeder by the circulating-pump 0. Owing to the greater density of the water its flow through the restricted passage b will be much slower than the flow of air or steam, and this retardation of flow will result in considerable back pressure in the cylinder 13. This back pressure will at once force the water into back-pressure chamber D and raise the piston d. Upward movement of the piston d .will lift arm (Z rock the shaft (Z and through arm (1 and link (1 close the valve a against the force of the spring a This condition -will continue until the water has fallen to its normal level, when the back pressure in the circulating-p11 mp cylinder and its superposed back-pressure chamber will fall and valve a will again open.

To guard against excessive pressure in the back-pressure chamber D, we provide a relief-port d in the wall of the chamber, which communicates with the passage 1) at a point considerably above the needle-valve b, so that when the piston (Z has risen to its full height in chamber D the water may flow through passage (1 to the outlet Z)".

It will be apparent that the movements of the piston (I might control the steam-inlet to the operating mechanism of the supply-pu mp A instead of controlling the water-inlet, and the same result would be attained.

111 Fig. 3 we have shown a slightly-dilferent form of feeder, in which we make the piston d slightly smaller than the back-pressure chamber D, so that there will be room for the passage of the fluid between the walls of the piston and chamber, and in such case the passage b will be dispensed With. It will be seen that when the surplus water is forced into the chamber D by the circulating-pum p it will flow so slowly between the piston and the wall of the chamber that back pressure will result, as in the apparatus shown in Fig. 1. This will cause the piston to rise, and the valve connections will be operated to cut 0% the water-supply, the water which passes the piston flowing out through the outletpassagc Z). Said piston may be provided with ribs or projections d to center it and give it a smooth movement within the chamber D.

In the form of feeder shown in Fig. 4 we dispense with the piston used in the forms described above and in place of said piston provide a flexible diaphragm G, which divides the back-pressure chamber D, the lower part of said chamber being in communication with the circulating-pump cylinder B, as in the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the construction of circulating-pump, valve connections, and other parts beinglike the feeder employing the piston. The upper part of said chamber D is in communication with the boiler through the passage 9 in order to equalize the pressure on both sides of the diaphragm G, so that all dangerof the diaphragm being distended by inequalities in steampressure is avoided. The back pressure chamber D has a restricted opening or passage 9 controlled by a valve or screw-plug g, so that the flow of water to the outlet 7L2 may be regulated. The diaphragm G has a projection 9 upon which rests a lever g pivoted on the casing of the feeder, and said lever is connected by link 9 with cut-off valve a of the feed-pump, as in the other forms of feeder. The passage from the circulationpump cylinder B to the back-pressure chamber D has a relief-valve h, which is normally held to its seat by a spring h, and in event of the back pressure in chamber-D becoming excessive the relief-valve h will open and allow the surplus water to flow to the outlet h". The operation of this modification is substantially the same as in the feeder shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the only difference being that back pressure of the surplus water from the tank or boiler will distend the flexible diaphragm G, raise the lever g, and through link g operate the cutoff valve a, controlling the water-supply.

When the feeder described above is used in connection with a coil-boiler, it will be attached at a point near the steam-delivery end of the coil, so that if water be fed too rapidly to the coil and passes through without being converted into steam the suction of the circulating-p11 mp will draw it out. of the coil and return it to the supply or feed pipe of boiler, thereby insuring the delivery of superheated dry steam from the coil.

It will be seen that the feeder-casing and various parts are so constructed that they may be quickly assembled or taken apart for the purpose of inspecting or repairing any of the interior fittings. The top of the backpressure chamber is bolted to the casing and can be readily taken off to permit access to the chamber and its fittings. The circulatting-pump chamber is jointed together by screw-threaded connections, so that it can be separated to allow the check-valves to be IlO reached, While the supply-pump, feeder, and the assembled parts thereof are mounted on suitable brackets or supports, from which they may readily be removed.

Having thus described our invention, we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patcut- 1. In a feeder for tanks, boilers, &c., the

combination with a main water-supply, of a circulating-pump, an inlet-pipe to connect said pump with the tank or boiler, a restricted outlet-passage leading from said pump to the boiler, a back-pressure chamber communicating with said circulating-pump, mechanism actuated by back pressure Within said chamber to control the main water-supply, and means for preventing excessive back pressure Within said chamber.

2. In a feeder for tanks, boilers, &c., the combination with a main water-supply, of a cut-off valve controlling said supply, a circulating-pump, an inlet-pipe to connect said pump With the tank or boiler, a restricted outlet-passage leading from said pump to the boiler, a back-pressure chamber comm unicating with said circulating-pump, mechanism actuated by back pressure within said chamber to control the cut-off valve for the watersupply, and means for preventing excessive back pressure within said chamber.

3. In a feeder for tanks, boilers, &c., the combination with a main water-supply, of a cut-off valve therefor, a circulating-pump, an inlet-pipe to connect said pump with the tank or boiler, an outlet-passage leading from said pump to the boiler, means for controlling the flow through said passage, a back-pressure chamber communicating with said circulatin g-pu mp, mechanism actuated by back pressure within said chamber to control the cutoff valve for the Water-supply, and means for preventing excessive back pressure within said chamber.

4. In a feeder for tanks, boilers, &c., the combination with a main ater-supply, of a cut-off valve for said water-supply, a circulating-pump, an inlet-pipe to connect said pump with the tank or boiler, an outlet-passage leading from said pump to said boiler, means for controlling the flow through said passage, a back-press u re chamber communicating with said circulating-pump, mechanism, within said chamber and actuated by back pressure, to control said cut-off valve, and a relief-passage in said chamber communicating with the outlet to the boiler.

5. In a feeder for tanks, boilers, &c., the combination with a main water-supply, of a sprin g-controlled cut-off valve to regulate said water-supply, a circulating-pump, an inletpipe connecting said pump With the tank or boiler, an outlet-passage connecting said pump with the boiler, a valve to control the flow through said passage, a back-pressure chamber communicating with said circulating pump, a piston within said chamber adapted to be actuated by back pressure, connections between said piston and said cut-off valve to control the water-supply, and means for preventing excessive back pressure within said chamber.

6. In a feeder for tanks, boilers, &c., the combination with a main water-supply, of a valve controlling said supply, a circulatingpump, an inlet-pipe connecting said pump with the boiler at the water-level, check-valves within the pump-cylinder to control the flow of water through said pump, an outlet-passage connecting said pump with the boiler, a needle-valve controlling the flow through said passage, a back-pressure chamber communieating with said pump-cylinder and provided with a relief-port to guard against excessive pressure in said chamber, a piston moving freely in said chamber, a rock-shaft mounted in said chamber and operated by the movement of said piston, and connections between said rock-shaft and said valve to operate the latter and control the water-supply.

7. In a feeder for tanks, boilers, &c., the combination with a main water-supply, of a valve controlling said supply, a spring which keeps said valve normally open, a circulatingpump, an inlet-pipe leading from the boiler to said pump, an outlet-passage from said pump to the boiler, means for controlling said outlet-passage, a back-pressure chamber comm unicating with said circulating-pump, a piston in said chamber adapted to be raised by back pressure in said chamber, and connections between said piston and said valve whereby said valve is closed when said piston rises and the piston is normally held in its lowest position by the action of said valvecontrolling spring.

8. In a feeder for tanks, boilers, &c., the combination with a main water-supply, of a valve controlling said supply, a circulatingpump, an inlet-pipe to connect said pump with the boiler at the Water-level, an outletpassage leading from said circulating-pump to the boiler, a back-pressure chamber communicatin g with said pump-cylinder, afreelymoving piston in said back-pressure chamber adapted to be actuated by back pressure in said chamber, a rock-shaft actuated by said piston, a link connecting said piston and the supply-valve, and a spring connected with said supply-valve and serving to keep said valve normally open and to retain said piston in its lowest position.

9. In a feeder for tanks, boilers, &c., the combination with a main water-supply, of a valve controlling said supply, a circulatingpump, an inlet-pipe connecting said pump with the boiler at the water-level, an outletpassage connecting said pump with the boiler, a valve controlling said outlet, a back-pressure chamber communicating with said pump, and having a relief-port communicating with the outlet-passage from said pump, a piston, within said chamber, controlling said outletpassage and adapted to be moved by back pressure in said chamber, connections between said piston and said supplyvalve whereby the movements of said piston are imparted to the supply-valve, and a spring which normally holds said supply-valve open and said piston in its lowest position.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

THOS. L. STURTEVANT. THOMAS J STURTEVANT. lVitnesses:

W. H. ELLIS, L. H. STURTEVANT. 

